Combined cabinet and extensible table



Oct. 21, 1947. J. D. McDOWELL COMBINED CABINET AND EXTENSIBLE TABLE Filed Aug. 3, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 e191 f F ATTORNEYS Oct. 21, 1947. J. D. MCDOWELL 2,429,362

COMBINED CABINET AND EXTENSIBLE TABLE Filed Aug. 3, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1,? J7 20 55 20 J6 *2 I INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented Oct. 23, 1947 S PATENT OFFICE COMINED CABINET AND EXTENSIBLE 1 TABLE James D. McDowell, Humberstone, Ontario,

. Canada Application August 3, 1944, Serial No. 547,933

1 This invention relates to a combined cabinet and table or work bench and it is one object of the invention to provide a device of this character which has a lower portion constituting a cabinet and an upper portion serving as a table andso mounted that it may be shifted vertically from a lowered position to a raised position and includes leaves hingedly mounted in order that they may be swung upwardly to a raised position where they will impart added area to the top of the table.

Another object of the invention is to provide the table with braces which are so mounted that they may be swung from an inoperative positionclose against the table to an extended position for supporting the leaves in their raised position. Another object of the invention is to provide braces for the table top in the form of bars which positions.

Another object of the invention is to so form the upper and lower sections that when the upper section is in its lowered position the device will be very compact and occupy a minimum amount of space in a room or work-shop.

. Another object of the invention is to proyide a device of this character which is simple in construction and very easy to operate.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: p I

Figure 1 is an end view of the combined cabinet and table.

Figure 2 is a side view thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken vertically through the cabinet and table, the view.

being taken along line 3-3 of Figure 4 and showing the upper section or table in its lowered position.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3.

This combined cabinet and table has a lower section constituting the cabinet or chest and an upper section constituting the table, the upper section or table being so mounted and associated with the lower section that it may be shifted upwardly to a raised position for use and releasably 7 Claims. ((31. 312-164) secured at such a height that it may be conveniently used.

The lower section is supported upon a base i which is in the form of an open frame of elongated rectangular formation in plan, and comprises corner posts 2, and side-walls 3 which are secured at their ends to the corner posts. A bottom 4 is secured upon the base and this bottom engages under the side walls 3 and also extends under inner side walls 5 which are disposed inwardly of the outer side walls 3 in spaced parallel relation thereto. The cabinet or chest formed by the lower section is open at its top and its opposite ends and within the cabinet is mounted a horizontal partition 6 extending substantially its full length between the inner panel-s 5 of its side walls. There havewalso been provided vertical partitions i under the partition 6 forming an intermediate compartment and side compartments, the side compartments being sub-divided by horizontal partitions 8 to form sub-compartments. A large drawer 9 is slid into the center compartment from each end thereof and smaller drawers l0 are slidably received in the smaller side compartments from each end thereof. These drawers constitute containers for various articles which may be tools if the device is to be used as a work bench or household articles of various kinds.

The upper section ofthe device constitutes a table and has a main top H against the under face of which are mounted longitudinally extending bars l2 and -cross bars l3. There have also been provided depending posts or struts M which are located at corners of the top and are slidably received in end portions of the spaces between the inner and outer side panels 3 and 5 of the lower section or cabinet. These posts are connected and braced at their lower ends by longitudinal bars l5. Brackets l6 having horizontal arms I! at their upper ends are connected with the posts l4 by hinges I 8 for swinging movement from afolded or retracted position close against the upper section where they will not interfere with raising and lowering of the upper section to an extended position where they may engage under leaves l9 and support the leaves in a raised position. To prevent the arms I! from sagging and to position -the brackets IS in right angled relation thereto and the leaves l9 level the brackets i6 and arms I! are provided intermediate their ends with diagonal braces H6. The leaves are pivoted to the top H by hinges 20 and when in a raised position have abutting engagement with side edge faces of the top, their upper sur-- faces being flush with the upper surface 01' the top. When the leaves are lowered they hang downwardly outside the side walls of the lower section or cabinet and by thrusting pins 2| carried by the corner posts 2 into sockets formed in edge faces of the leaves, the leaves may be held against upward movement. Panels or doors 22 are provided at ends of the upper section where they are mounted for vertical swin ing movement by hinges 23 and at opposite sides of their lower ends the panels carry latches 24 of the bolt type for engaging in sockets 25 carried by the corner posts to hold the panels or doors closed and assist in supporting the upper section in its raised position. Rods 26 extend longitudinally in the space between the partition 6 and the top of the upper section and have their outer ends pivoted to said partition as shown at 21. The companion rods extend in crossed relation to each other, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and their free end portions carry collars 28 for engagement by a spring 29 which tends to draw upper end portions of the rods towards each other and hold their ends in contact with the under surface of the top I! of the tableor upper section.

When this device is in use, it may have its upper section shifted upwardly to a raised position and the leaves swung upwardly and supports raised to impart added area to the table top. If so desired, the leaves may be left in a depending or folded position. Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that when the upper section is raised, access may be readily had to the drawers 9 and I and when the upper section is lowered access may be had to the drawers by releasing the latch 26 from the keeper and swinging the door upwardly. Engagement of the latches 24 with the sockets 25 assists in supporting the upper section raised and engagement of the latches 26' with the keepers 21' and engagement of the pins 2| with lower ends of the leaves l9 holds the upper section in its lowered position. The upper section may thu be supported in a raised position for use or releasably secured in a lowered position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A combined cabinet and table comprising a lower section constituting a cabinet and having spaced inner and outer side walls, the interior of said cabinet being partitioned to form chambers open at ends of the cabinet, drawers slidably received in said chambers through open outer ends thereof, an upper section constituting a table and having a top and drop leaves hinged to opposite sides thereof for swinging movement from a raised position to a lowered position against outer faces of the outer side walls of the cabinet, corner posts for said table slidably received in end portions of space between the inner and outer side walls of the cabinet, brackets for supporting the drop leaves when raised hinged to said posts for swinging movement from an extended position under the raised leaves to a retracted position for disposition in spaces between the inner and outer side walls of the cabinet through upper ends thereof, and doors hinged at ends of the table for swinging movement from a raised position to a lowered position in shielding relation to ends of the cabinet, and latches carried by the ends of the doors and the cabinet for releasably holding the doors and the drop leaves in lowered position.

2. A combined cabinetand table comprising a lower section constituting a cabinet and having tion constituting a table and having a top and drop leaves pivoted to opposite sides of the top for vertical swinging movement from a raised position to a lowered position against the outer side walls of the cabinet, posts mounted vertically under said top and slidably received in spaces between the inner and outer side walls through the upper end thereof, and brackets for supporting. the leaves in raised position pivoted to said posts for horizontal swinging movement from an extended position for supporting the leaves raised to a retracted position in which they are slidable into and out of the spaces between the inner and outer side ,upper ends thereof, and braces for said leaves pivoted to the posts for horizontal swinging movement from an extended position to a retracted position and when retracted being movable with the posts into and out of the pockets through upper ends thereof.

4. A combined cabinet and table comprising a lower section constituting a cabinet and an upper section constituting a table, said cabinet having pockets extending along its opposite sides and open at their upper ends, said table being shiftable vertically relative to the cabinet to raised and lowered positions and having a top and depending members under the top slidably received in the pockets through upper ends thereof, doors at ends of said table hinged thereto at their upper ends for vertical swinging movement from a raised position to a lowered position and when lowered covering ends'of the cabinet when the table is in lowered position, and members carried by said doors for engaging companion portions of the cabinet when the table is raised and supporting the table in its raised position.

5. A combined cabinet and table comprising a lower section constituting a cabinet and an upper section constituting a table, said cabinet having pockets extending along its opposite sides and open at their upper ends, said table having a top, drop leaves at opposite sides of said top pivoted thereto for swinging movement from a raised position to a lowered position against sides of the cabinet, vertical posts under said top slidable into and out of the pockets through upp r ends thereof, and braces for supporting the leaves in raised position pivotally mounted on said posts, for horizontal swinging movement from an extended position for use to a vertical position in,

which they are movable vertically with the top, and are movable into and out of the pockets.

6. A combined cabinet and table comprising a lower section constituting a cabinet and an spaced inner and outer side walls, an upper seoor lowered with respect to the cabinet, doors pivoted at their upper ends to the table top for vertical swinging movement to raised or lowered position, latches carried by said doors at opposite sides thereof near their lower ends, and keepers carried by said cabinet for engagement by said latches to support the table top in raised position.

7. A combined cabinet and table such as described in claim 6, additionally comprising a horizontal partition within the cabinet between the inner walls of the cabinet, and fixed to said walls, pairs of rods located between the partition and table top, the rods of each pair being arranged in crossed relationshi and having their lower ends pivoted to the partition and their upper ends positioned in sliding contact with the underside of the table top, and a coil spring 6 associated with each pair of rods and secured to the upper end portions of the rods, said rods and springs constituting counterbalancing means for the table top.

JAMES D. MCDOWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 335,404 Boynton i July 3, 1888 1,256,211 Dempsey Feb. 12, 1918 846,319 Knapp Mar. 5, 1907 

